Locomotive tender



Dec. 4, 1934. E LIPPERT y1982,819

LOCOMOTIVE TENDER Filed May e, 1930 2 sheets-sheet `1 DeC- 4, 1934. E. I IPPERT LOCOMOTIVE TENDER Filed May 6, 1930 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 Patented Dec. 4, 1934 UNITED STATES LOCOMOTIVE TENDER Ehner Lippert, Pittsburgh, Pa., assignor, by mesne assignments, to The Standard Stoker Company, Incorporated, a corporation of Delaware Application May 6, 1930, seria1N0.45o,z62

1 Claim.

This invention relates to locomotive tenders equipped with fuel conveying mechanism. In present tenders having a coal transfer screw, an opening is provided in the center of the bottom of the bunker, longitudinally of the tender, and directly above the screw. Slide plates are arranged in the opening and move on tracks which are secured to the underside of the bunker. The side plates close a portion of the opening to prevent a large volume of the coal above the screw from bearing on it. It is necessary for the reman to regulate or shift' these slide plates to numerous positions as the bunker is gradually emptied, and to move them back in place when the bunker is refilled.

It is an object of this invention to construct a locomotive tender having a novel self-cleaning fuel bunker so that a part of the flremans time need not be used for this purpose. By my improvement the expensive slide plate track construction is eliminated.

Other objects and advantages of the invention will be apparent from the following description and claim taken in connection with the accompanying drawings, in which;

Fig. 1 is a plan view of a portion of a locomotive tender illustrating my invention.

Fig. 2 is a part-sectional elevational View of Fig. 1.

Fig. 3 is a sectional View taken on line 3--3 of Fig. 1. Figs. 4 and 5 are views similar to Fig. 3 illustrating optional constructions.

In Figure 2 the numeral 1 designates the tender frame; 2, the water storage compartment; 3, the coal bunker; and 4, the tender deck. Arranged longitudinally of the tender beneath and centrally of the bunker is a trough 5 having a conveyor screw 6 therein for transferring fuel to the forward end of the trough where other conveying mechanism (not shown) delivers it to the locomotive iirebox (not shown). 'I'he conveyor screw 6 is driven through gearing (not shown) enclosed in a gear case at the rear of the trough by a shaft 7. The coal is reduced to a desirable size for firing by being forced against the Crusher 8 as it is moved forward by the conveyor screw. The portions of the sides 9v and l0 of the trough 5 adjacent the Crusher 8 taper forwardly and inwardly (Fig. 1) to eliminate right-angled corners, thus preventing the probability of foreign matter clogging in a corner which could easily stop the conveyor screw from rotating.

Directly above and longitudinally of the screw 6 is a support 11, which is made rigid with the tender and forms, with the side plates that are inclined downwardly toward the center of the tender, a portion ofthe floor of the bunker. The support 11 prevents the weight of the coal above the conveyor screw from binding and stopping the screw and it is preferable that the width of the support `11 be not less than the diameter of the screw. The support 11 is spaced a comparatively short distance above the screw thereby permitting relatively large lumps of coal to be conveyed by the screw. In the ioor of the bunker` 3, at each side of the support 11 and the screw 6 is an opening 12 and 13 through which coal can fall freely and without obstruction from the bunker into the trough 5. By this construction the screw 6 receives the coal sideways directly from the bunker instead of vertically. The only pressure on the screw is that of the coal forced sideways, which is relatively small, and not suflicient to stop or bind the screw. Brackets 14 and 15 are arranged transversely of the trough above the conveyor screw for bracing the support 11.

In Fig. 4 the lower portion 16 of the inclined side plate 17 is directly above the conveyor screw and prevents the coal from binding the screw the same as the support 11 in Fig. 3. `A single opening 18 is provided at one side of the screw, through which coal can pass freely from the bunker to the screw.

In Fig. 5 the sides 19 and 20 of the trough are curved and a channel 21 is provided for the conveyor screw to rotate therein.

It is apparent from the foregoing description that with this novel tender construction, the bunker can be emptied with only the usual conveyor screw without the attention or aid of the fireman.

What I claim as new and desire to secure by Letters Patent is:

The combination in a locomotive tender having a frame and upright sidewalls, of a pair of side slope sheets extending downwardly and inwardly each from a respective upright sidewall of the tender and spaced apart at their respective lower edges, an open mouthed trough mounted longitudinally in said tender and spaced above said frame, said troughl being fastened through its upper marginal side edges to the lower edge of said side slope sheets, the sides of said trough being in a substantially straight line with said side slope sheets, a screw conveyor disposed in said trough, a longitudinally extending ledge spaced above the bottom of said trough and intermediate the lower edges of said side slope sheets forming a pair of longitudinally extending openings defined by the sides of said ledge and the lower edges of said side slope sheets, said openings being in a plane above the plane of said screw conveyor, and stress members extending transversely of the sides of said trough and forming also supports for said longitudinally extending ledge.

ELMER LIPPERT. 

